Nuttlock



(No Model.)

O. H. MITCHELL.

I NUT LOCK.

No. 303,446. Patented Aug. 12,1884.

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. onnn H. MITCHELL, or SPRINGFIELD, MISSounIf NUT-iLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 303,446, dated August12, 1884.

Application filed April 14. 1834. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OBED-H. MIToIIELL, a

citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county ofGreene and State of Mis souri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Nut-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use thesame. I

My invention relates to improvements in nut-locks, the object of whichis to provide a simple, convenient, and reliable means of securingscrew-nuts on bolts, and especially designed for securing the nuts onthe bolts at the splice-joints of railway-rails. These objects I attainby means of the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings,forminga part of this specification, in which Figure l is a perspective viewshowing the entire device as attached to a railwayrail. Fig. 2 shows theunder plate; Fig. 3, the upper plate; Fig. 4, the key, and Fig. 5 ablank showing the way the lower plate is cut.

The distinctive features of my invention consist in two plates, theunder one having holes to receive two bolts, between which is a longprojecting lug or tongue formed by cutting in the body of the said plateand turning or bending up the edge in a line with the center of the saidholes, said tongue having holes to receive a key. The upper plate ismade to fit between the screw-nuts on the said bolts, and has largerectangular ends to rest against the sides or edges of said nuts toprevent their turning off. In this upper plate is a long narrow slot toreceive the tongue of the lower plate, said slot being strengthened bylips which have holes to receive a key. These plates are secured inposition by the screwnuts to be held and a key, as hereinafter morefully explained.

A represents arailway-rail; B B, fish-plates; C G, connecting-bolts, andD the screw-nuts on the same.

E is a plate, made with holes 0 c to receive two of the connecting-boltsat the splicejoints of railway-rails; Out of this plate is formed atongue or lug, e, which is made by cutting the plate E, as indicated bythe dotted broken line 0 c in Fig. 5, and bending up the edge of thepart a, so as to form the tongue on a line, :0 x, which passes throughthe center of the holes '6' e, and leaving the upper and lower parts, 06 to strengthen the said plate, and thus the plate and tongue are easilyand quickly formed out of one piece of material or blank, as shown inFig. 5. This tongue has holes c" e", and is made long to form a firm anddurable support to the upper plate, and to prevent its working orturning.

F is a cap or plate, made to be placed between the screW-nuts D D, toprevent their turning off. It has large ends f f for this purpose,preferably made rectangular, to rest against the sides (I d of the saidnuts, and in the said plate is made a long narrow slot, f, to fitclosely over and around the lug or tongue 6. This slot is strengthenedby the lips f f, which extend parallel with the cap above and below theslot, and through which are holes f f to receive a key, G, which isplaced through the tongue for securing the upper plate.

G is a key or staple, made of any suitable material, preferably of wire,that will easily bend without breaking. This key may be of any desiredshape or size; but preferably, as shown, is a loop to pass through holesf in the lips of the upper plate, and ein the tongue of the under plate,and then bent to firmly hold the said plates together.

This simple device may be used in many places for locking the screw-nutson bolts, but principally for securing the nuts on the bolts at thesplice-joints of railway-rails, as shown. It is put together by placingthe plate E over the bolts 0 C, then screwing the nuts down, leaving theinner edges, d (1, parallel. Then the upper plate is placed-down betweenthe nuts,letting the tongue pass through the slot,

and then the same is locked to its place by a key or staple,,G, placedthrough the tongue and lips, as explained. Thus secured, the nuts cannotturn off, and by removing thekey and raising the upper plate the nutscan be tightened, and then the upper plate and key replaced.

Having thus described the construction, use, and operation of myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. An improved nut-lock, composed of a plate, E, .having holes 0 e forbolts 0 G, and I a long projecting tongue, 6, cut and bent from the bodyof the same, leaving the parts 0' c and having holes 6 e for akey, G,and an upper plate, F, having a long narrow slot, f, to receive the saidtongue, and large rectangular ends f f ,to rest against the inner sides,(I, of the nuts D D, and a key, G, the said slot being strengthened bylips f f which have holes f f to receive the said key, all substantiallyas shown and described.

2. A plate, E, placed on two bolts beneath the screw-nuts on'the same,said plate having a tongue, e, cut and bent from the bodyof the same, inwhich are holes 0 6 combined with a key, G, and a plate, F, made to fitbetween the said nuts to prevent their turning off, said plate F havinga slot, f, to receive the tongue 6, and holes f f to receive the key,all substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of a plate, E, having a tongue, 0, cut and bent fromthe body of the having nuts D, all substantially as shown and described,for the purpose set forth.

same, which has holes 6 e and holes a e,with

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in 0 presence of twowitnesses.

OBED II. MITCHELL.

Vitnesses:

S. A. HASELTINE, J '1. YVIIITE.

